Loose-leaf binder



July 28, 1925. 1,547,302

H D. COTTRELL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Original Filed Feb. 12, 1923 INVENTOR,

AT'TORNEY.

Patented July 28, 1925.

HOLLAND D. GOTTRELL, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Continuation of application Serial No. 618,670, filed February 12, 1923. This application filed September 4,1923. Serial No. 664,395.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOLLAND D. COTTRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Detroit, county of lVayne, State of hlichigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Loose-Leaf Binders, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and is a continuation of my application Serial No. 618,670,'filed February 12,1923.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a loose leaf binder that is simple and inexpensive in form, the features of v i which are adapted for-use in ordinary cheap paper folders as well as the more expensive character of binders. i

The principal feature of the invention is in the provision of a folder having'flexible and resilient covers and straps permanently attached to the covers and ofsuch length that the tension of the cover draws the cover members together at the hinge point to bind the loose leaves. A furtherobject is to secure a binder utilizing a flexible'and 'resilient cover having straps so arranged that the tension of the cover in tending to lie flat binds the leaves and that is capable of maintaining and binding one o r a considerable quantity of leaves without necessity of man ual adjustment. lleretofore, loose leaf binders have been provided with adjustable straps but such former types of construction are comparatively expensive, cumbersome and the adjusting devices take up space. My improved type of binder or folder lies perfectly flat adapting the same for use in letter files or the like and may be made of very cheap material such as paper or cardboard, or can be made of more expensive material.

In my improved binder, one of the covers at least is of flexible, resilient material connected with the other cover by means of a channel at the forward edge of which the cover members are hinged. The straps are connected to the free edge only of the resilient cover extending along the face thereof and through apertures in the two cover members at ,the hinge point, the strap being permanently attached to both covers and the tion of a binder embodying my inventionis shown in the accompany ng drawings in wh1ch Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my partially filled with loose leaves.

F 2 is an end view of the binder showing the channel pocket and the two covers.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 showing the partially filled binder in the closedp'os'ition.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the manner of opening the channel pocket to receive additional leaves. Y

notches or slotted edge insertable' around the straps.

The binder consists'of twocover s 1 and 2 which may be of heavy paper, light eard- I v fully described I and claimed, and the preferred form of construc 30 Fig. 5 is a'detail showing a leaf with board or other desirable material. Preferably both members are'made of the same character of material shaped to provide an integral channel pocket 3 forming what may be termed the @back of the binder. are hinged at the point {l relative to this channel pocket, the'paper or cardboard being scored for such purpose to permit the ready opening of the covers. Both cover members have apertures 5 and 6 at the hinge The covers point of the covers and straps-'7 are permanently attached at the end to the free edge of the flexible cover 1 and extend through the apertures of the cover 1 and through the similar apertures of the cover 2 and are permanentlyattached to the of the co'v- H er 2. It is not'material'at what point the strap 7. is attached to -the member 2 either being attached to the outer edge thereof or near the hinge point asmay be desired b ut the strap 7 is unattached to themember 1 except at the free edge. If it is desired to provide an ordinary paper folder, the members 1 and 2 and the portion providing a channel pocket may be of'a sheet of heavy paper or like material and the straps may be also of paper. In the more expensive construction for heavier loose leaf ledgers and the like-the members may be made of other material, the necessary feature being that at least one cover member should be capable of being flexed and, due to the tendency of the flexible member to lie flat, the hinge points of the two members are drawn into contact thus binding any leaves that may be introduced between the two hinge points. To secure this result, the distance from the point of attachment of the straps to the member 1 to the point of attachment to the member 2 is such that the hinge points rat the forward edge of the channel pocket are brought into contact permitting the flexible member 1 to lie perfectly flat as indicated in Fig. 2. These straps may be made of any desired flexible material and, if of paper, may be pasted to the paper cover or otherwise secured thereto and in binders of heavier construction may be made of leather or canvas and riveted to the cover members at the point above mentioned. Preferably, the strips are non-elastic.

The leaves are provided with slots 8 and 9 of a width to receive the straps and the slots are open through the edge of the sheet as indicated at 10 providing the shoulders 11 and 12 to engage about the strap upon the channel pocket side as will be readily understood, this being a common method of notching the leaves to engage about the strap binder.

To introduce additional sheets into the binder, it is only necessary to introduce the hand between the hinge point of the flexible member 1 and the leaves or cover 2 as the case may be raising this hinge point and flexing the cover member 1 as indicated in Fig. i. This permits insertion of an additional leaf or leaves and, upon withdrawal of the hand, the cover will straighten forcing the hinge point into binding contact with the leaves as will be readily understood. By this arrangement even one leaf will be bound in place between the hinge points of the cover and thus whatever the number of leaves in the binder the same will. be held under pressure. This effect may be observed in Fig. 3 in which it is noted that less than the capacity of the folder is utilized with the leaves 13. Due to the tension on the band 7 bythe strengthening action of the leaf of the member 1, the hinge points are drawn together and the straps are held taut.

As before stated, if an inexpensive folder is desired, the covers of the, device may be made of paper as well as the straps and if a more expensive construction is desired the flexible member 1. may be made of thin resilient sheet metal. The straps, however, must be of flexible and non-elastic material to prevent stretching.

As previously stated, the principal feature of the invention is in the resilient or flexible cover providing a tension member acting in conjunction with the straps to draw the cover members together at the hinge to clamp the inserted leaves. An essential characteristic is that the strap is attached to the free edge only of the resilient or flexible cover and may be attached at any desired point of the other cover which may be flexible or not as may be desired.

It is further to be understood that, while I have shown and described straps as the. element 7, it is possible to utilize a string or cord of other material having the same function as the straps without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a channel pocket to the forward edge of which the cover members are hingedly connected, one of said cover members being flexible and there being apertures in the cover members at the hinge point, and flexible straps attached to the free edge only of the flexible cover, and extending through the apertures across the opening to the channel pocket and attached to the other cover.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a channel pocket to which the covers are hingedly connected, one of the said covers being flexible and resilient and both covers having apertures at about the point of connection with the channel pocket, and straps extending across the outer face and attached to the free edge of the flexible cover, said straps also extending through the slots and permanently attached to the outer face of the other cover member.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of flexible cover members secured together at the back providing a channel pocket, the covers being liingedly connected to the pocket and being provided with openings at the point of connection with the pocket, and straps permanently attached to the free edge of one cover member extending through the slots and permanently attached to the other cover member.

4:. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of covers made of flexible paper shaped to provide an integral channel pocket, the covers being scored at the opening of the channel pocket providing a hinge connection of the cover therewith, said cover members being provided with apertures at the point of connection with the channel pocket. and straps permanently connected at one end to the free edge of one cover extending through the slots and permanently attached to the other member, said straps being of a length to draw the hinge points together whereby on opening the channel pocket the cover is flexed providing a tension member, and leaves having notched edges to fit around the straps and bound between the covers by th tension members.

5. In a loose leaf binder, the combination of a pair of covers, a channel pocket to which an edge of each cover is hingedly connected, at least one of the covers being flexible and of resilient material, their being apertures provided at each hinge point and straps attached adjacent the free edge only of the resilient cover passing through the slots and permanently attached to the other cover member, the strap being otherwise free from connection with the covers and of such length that when the flexible cover normally lies flat due to its resilient character the hinge points are brought practically into contact, and leaves provided with pockets at one edge fitting about the straps between the cover members.

6. In a loose'leaf binder, a pair of cover members, a channel pocket to the forward edges of which the cover members are re spectively connected, one of said members being hingedly connected thereto and being flexible and resilient and both covers having apertures at about the point of connection with the channel pocket, and a binder element attached to the free edge only of the flexible cover extending through the apertures and permanently attached to the other cover member.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

HOLLAND D. COTTRELL. 

